Posted by By ADESINA AIYEKOTI on
Mojisola, estranged wife of Dr. Gbenga Obasanjo, son of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, has asked an Ikeja High Court to give a judicial order barring the press from covering the celebrated divorce case between her and the husband. She said that press reports have traumatised her and her children.
Mojisola, estranged wife of Dr. Gbenga Obasanjo, son of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, has asked an Ikeja High Court to give a judicial order barring the press from covering the celebrated divorce case between her and the husband. She said that press reports have traumatised her and her children.
Gbenga, the petitioner, however, countered the request through his counsel, Emankhu Addah, urging the court to dismiss the application. He said, 'the press is constitutionally empowered to report the proceedings."
According to Mojisola in the application filed by her counsel, Mrs. Helen Ovnlen, the request has become necessary because she, her children and family have been greatly traumatized following series of publications on the matter.
Citing the matrimonial causes Act, sections 103 (2) and 108 (2), Mojisola's counsel further prayed the court, presided over by Justice (Mrs) E. O. Williams Dawodu, to make an order directing that all other proceedings in the matter should not be published or printed by the media, pending the final determination of the suit.
She urged the court to grant the request, most importantly, because of the health of her client (Mojisola) and the children.
The counsel submitted that the press had, before now, 'gone ahead to make sensational headlines of the proceeding," which, according to her, have been prejudicial to the proceeding.
Opposing the application, Gbenga's lawyer, Addeh said the publication being referred to by the respondent could not be referred to as libelous and defamatory.
He said the grounds which formed the basis of the application was well captured by the affidavit filed in support of the suit.
Following the arguments canvassed by the two counsels, Justice Dawodu deferred ruling till April 18, 2008.
The trial judge had earlier frowned at the reports carried by some newspapers and a radio station that her court had heard the application in chambers.
Ordering journalists in the courtroom to stand up, Justice Dawodu advised them to be sure of their facts, before informing the public about the proceedings in court.
The petitioner, Gbenga, is in the substantive suit asking the court to dissolve the seven-year old marriage as he alleged, among other things, that he doubted the paternity of the fruits of the wedlock.
He averred, in his 50-paragraph affidavit filed in support of the motion that his father, (Chief Olusegun Obasanjo) and his father-in-law, Otunba Alex Onabanjo, had sex with his wife, Mojisola.
Earlier, Mojisola had accused Gbenga of sundry sins, including assault and battery.